elizabethcorderocobo's Profile
elizabethcorderocobo
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Novelette
Wrote 10,000 words in November!
elizabethcorderocobo's Novels
The Girl I Left Behind
Blurb:
She’s tired of being too much. He’s tired of being strong. One collision outside a London pub, one night in a packed club, and neither can stop thinking about the other. But some threads are older than either of them knows. Slow burn · dual POV · green-flag hero · grief and healing · fated
Excerpt:
“Hi there,” he said. Simple. Soft. Low. Not demanding anything from me. He shifted slightly, letting people pass behind him while keeping them from bumping into me. It was such a small action, but it showed me he was aware of my personal space. “I was starting to think you climbed out the window,” he added lightly. “Oh… sorry.” Why the fuck was I apologising? He gave me a small, easy smile. “That’s alright. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” I froze. He did not say you ran fast or I wanted to talk to you. Just that he wanted to make sure I was okay. I suddenly found it difficult to breathe. “Thanks, I’m fine,” I said too quickly. “I just needed some fresh air.” His eyebrows raised slightly at my hurried answer, and I felt heat climbing up my neck. “Fair enough… though I’m not sure there’s much of that in there.” An amused puff of air escaped me, breaking any attempt at composure. “I’m Luke,” he said. “By the way.” “Elena.” I blurted it out, wincing internally at how eager I must have sounded. But instead of reacting, he smiled softly, as if making sure I knew there was nothing wrong. “Nice to meet you, Elena.” I noticed how his eyes softened, like the sound of my name on his lips had settled somewhere warm. I was suddenly aware of how close he was, the air between us charged but calm at the same time. “So... you followed me.” He nodded, not trying to deny it. “Yeah.” Something built up in my chest. Instinct, preparing me for pressure, for a justification, for entitlement. Before I could say anything, he continued. “But,” he said calmly, “if that’s not okay with you, just say the word and I’ll go back to my friends.” He pointed to the packed dance floor. I was left speechless. “No,” I said slowly. “It’s fine.” The faint worry lines on his forehead disappeared. “Good.”